Lean On Me
by readbetweenthesigns
Summary: An alternative start to Season one, what if it had all happened this way? One shot, complete. (Very slight edit...)


**Disclaimer: Ownership is neither claimed nor implied.**

**A/N: A Quick look at an alternative start to Season 1...**

**Week Two - Five minutes have passed since conception, a miracle is happening inside you, you are technically two weeks into your pregnancy, you are in your first trimester, you have thirty eight weeks to go, congratulations.**

"We have to tell Finn about this," Puck said as soon as his breathing and his heart rate returned to normal.

"Those aren't exactly the words I expected to hear within seconds of losing my virginity," Quinn murmured, heat rising in her cheeks, guilt seeping through her veins.

"Hey," Puck pouted. "It was a lot longer than that," he insisted, insulted and slightly worried. It had been mind blowing for him, he hoped it had been as good for her.

"I'm sorry," Quinn apologised, stroking a soothing hand down his smooth, tanned, muscular chest. She turned a little, leaned up over him, smiled into his troubled eyes. "And I agree, we do have to tell Finn," she agreed, "but not just yet," she sighed, her lips delicately touching his, her tongue tracing his full, pouting lips.

Puck's eyes drifted closed as sensation overtook him, slowly his arms raised to engulf Quinn's shoulders, he sighed into her mouth as she slid over him, settled on him. "Condom," he groaned as rational thought left his head, chased out by feelings, sensations, hormones…

**Week Eight - The crown to rump length of your baby is .56 - .8 inch now. So many things are changing in your baby every day now. If you could look at your baby closely, you'd see the tip of his nose and the eyelids developing, ears are forming as well. The heart and lungs are continuing to develop and now the bronchi (the tubes that lead to the the lungs from the trachea) are starting to branch out. Arms are growing longer and baby now has elbows! All this just 6 weeks after conception!**

"Are you sure?" Puck hissed as quietly as he could, trying to stay as silent as possible in the confined stall in the girls' restroom.

"Yes I'm sure," Quinn replied just as quietly, aware that at least two other girls had come in to the bathroom, which was why they were hiding in the one stall. Quinn held up the wand again for Puck to see.

Puck grimaced and pulled away as far as he could. "Jeez, Quinn," he winced, "you just peed on that," he whisper cried.

"Oh I'm sorry," Quinn hissed sarcastically, "do my bodily functions disturb you?"

Puck thought long and hard before he answered. "Shit's about to get real Puckerman, suck it up," he silently advised himself. "No," he whispered, "but I can't imagine you'd like anything that I'd peed on getting thrust in your face," he added, leaning closer to talk quietly into her ear, confident they wouldn't be heard over the sound of the toilet flushing in the next stall. Quinn gave Puck a look, a well practiced look of disdain, but she couldn't deny it.

* * *

"Has anyone seen Quinn?" Finn asked the groups of students gathered around tables in the cafeteria. He looked around and saw covert glances pass between a few cheerleaders and football players. "What?" he asked. "Do you know something? Has Quinn said something? Is she breaking up with me?" he asked, noting the uncomfortable shuffling from one or two people.

"I saw her getting into Puck's truck when I was collecting something from my car just before lunch," Jasmine, one of the bubblier cheerleaders told Finn breathlessly, swaying in front of him, looking up through her lashes, flirting for all she was worth.

"Where's Puck?" Finn demanded, looking round for his best friend.

"Errm, Puck got in his truck too and drove away," Jasmine replied, pouting a little as Finn remained oblivious to her subtle 'come on'.

Finn looked taken aback. He puzzled things out in his head. His best friend and his girlfriend leaving campus in the middle of the day. Together. "It's not my birthday," Finn thought to himself, "so they can't be doing anything for that," he puzzled and wondered some more. No, he was at a loss, he couldn't imagine why on earth Puck and Quinn would go anywhere together, or why they would even want to. "Quinn thinks Puck's an egotistical player and Puck thinks Quinn has a broomstick up her ass," he reminded himself.

"Hello Finn," a slightly nervous voice came from behind him, breaking into his private thoughts. "Are you ready to rehearse now? Did you explain to Quinn about tonight?" she asked, wringing her hands together.

"No," Finn replied, still distracted, "I mean I haven't seen her, she went somewhere with Puck," he told Rachel, his face clouded with confusion. Saying it out loud made it sound even stranger, Finn just could not fathom it out.

Rachel absorbed that as her brain went into overdrive, snippets of a half heard, whispered conversation twirled round her head…

* * *

"How much longer?" Puck growled quietly, almost to himself but not quite. He couldn't sit still, his foot tapped incessantly, an outward sign of his nerves.

"I told you," Quinn hissed, "you didn't have to come with me."

"Yes I did," Puck contradicted. "This involves me as much as you, I told you, you're not alone in this, I'm here for you," he insisted.

Quinn felt her eyes fill up with hot tears, felt her chin wobble a little, she blew out a nervous breath. "I wish they'd hurry up," she murmured, her fingers tapping on her knee. Puck caught her fingers in his, drew her hand onto his thigh, held it as it trembled within his grasp. Quinn looked at Puck as he looked at her, they both gave each other a nod of reassurance. It would be fine, it would all work out fine, they were worrying about nothing, that last test must just have been a false positive, so what, it happens all the time…doesn't it?

"Ms Fabray?" a nurse called, smiling at both Quinn and Puck. "Doctor will see you now," she informed them.

Puck stood, gently pulling Quinn to her feet by the hand he still held. They followed the nurse down the corridor to the consultation rooms of the nondescript walk in medical centre, they watched as the nurse knocked on the door and wait until she was bid to enter, they followed her into the room.

"Your results are here," the gruff elderly doctor informed Quinn before she'd even taken the seat that the nurse had indicated. "You are pregnant," he announced then looked up from the papers on his desk. "Have you made any decisions?" he asked abruptly.

Both Puck and Quinn stared in just a little bit of shock. Sure, they'd been expecting this, but weirdly enough, it still came as a shock. "Errm, no, no, we haven't even…no, not yet," Puck stuttered, not sure exactly what to say.

The doctor sighed to himself. "Kids having kids," he thought, shaking his head a little. "You're almost eight weeks along, if you're considering termination then I would advise sooner rather than lat…"

"No," Quinn interrupted the doctor mid sentence, her shout even louder than she'd expected when the word bubbled up from her churning stomach. "No, no termination, I couldn't do that, I just couldn't. I'm sorry, I can't," she whispered, looking tearfully at Puck, taking comfort from the tight grip he still had on her hand.

"No termination," Puck agreed quietly. "We need to go away and talk about this, decide what we're going to do, talk to our parents," he said, his eyes on Quinn's white, drawn face, he saw her gulp, saw the fear grow in her eyes. "It's happened," he said gently, "what's the worst they can do to us?" he asked. "They can't kill us," he teased just a little. Quinn tried to give him a smile back but it just wouldn't come, she settled for nodding unhappily.

"You'll need to set up a pre-natal appointment with the receptionist, we can offer the full service here if you can't find an OB-GYN," the doctor advised quietly, watching the interaction between the two terrified teens in front of him. "I would advise you to speak to your parents as soon as possible, this is something that isn't going to just go away and speaking from experience, the sooner you tell them, the sooner things can get sorted out."

"Thank you doctor," Quinn said as she stood, her voice husky, almost catching in her throat. "We'll certainly take that under advisement."

* * *

Puck's hands gripped his steering wheel, they hadn't moved yet, he hadn't even turned the key in the ignition, they were still in the parking lot of the medical centre, Quinn was studying the bottle of pre-natal vitamins that the doctor had just given her as if the label was the latest blockbuster. "How do you want to do this?" he asked, his voice sounded as though he was starting with a cold, Puck cleared his throat and repeated his question.

"I just want to go to bed and wake up with it all gone," Quinn admitted, tears spilling down her cheeks. She sighed and gave herself a mental shake. Quinn took a deep, fortifying breath. "I think we should tell our parents tonight, then tomorrow we'll face Finn and then whatever, the rest of them can go to hell, I don't care," she announced, feeling better for making a decision.

"Ok, do you want me to come over? You can't just sit at the dinner table and blurt this out over roast ham," Puck teased, picturing the scene. "My mom will be at home right now, we can go see her first then go to your house to wait for your parents to get home," he suggested. Quinn agreed with the plan.

* * *

"What are you doing home at this time of day?" Monica Puckerman asked her son as he walked into the house. "Has something happened at school? I haven't heard anything on the radio," she muttered, more to herself, trying to puzzle out why Noah would have come home at this time of day.

"Ma," Puck said quietly, taking Quinn's hand again, bringing the young, tearful blond into the frame. "Ma, we need to talk to you, do you have a minute?" he asked. Monica nodded nervously and took a seat at the kitchen table without taking her eyes off her son. Puck pulled a chair out for Quinn and saw her seated before taking a seat himself, he immediately picked Quinn's hand up again, their joined hands resting on the table. "Ma, we need to tell you something but I don't want you to freak out, alright?" he said and watched the slow nod of his mom's head, she looked terrified. "The thing is, Quinn," was as far as he got.

"Quinn?" Monica butted in. "You're Quinn?" she asked, looking at Quinn. Quinn nodded. "Finn Hudson's girlfriend Quinn?" she asked, needing clarification, only this morning she'd been talking to Carole at the supermarket, Carole thought her son's girlfriend was a lovely girl, thought she just about walked on water and now here she was, the very same girl, holding hands with _her_ son, Monica wasn't sure what Carole would make of _that._

"Ma, can you just listen for a second?" Puck asked and saw his mom nod again. Puck took a deep breath and then let it go, he licked his lips, his nerve leaving him for a second. "Ok, here goes, right, mom, Quinn's pregnant, it's my baby," he said in a rush then looked up, saw the confusion on his mom's face.

"But…but…but…she's Finn's girlfriend," Monica stuttered, her mind still trying to work out exactly what her son was telling her.

"Yes I know that," Puck replied, "but it doesn't alter the fact that Quinn is pregnant with my child," he said again, hoping it was a little clearer this time.

"How can that be?" Monica asked. "She's not your girlfriend, she's Finn's girlfriend, no this must be a mistake, a joke, you're just teasing me aren't you? It's not April Fools, why are you telling me this, stop joking now Noah, go back to school," she said, shaking her head and smiling at her son, he was such a joker, he always had been, he got that from his dad.

"Mom, it's not a joke, I'm being serious," Puck insisted, wondering how to get through to his mom. "Quinn is pregnant, almost eight weeks and I'm the father, it's my baby," he said once more, hoping that this time it would sink in.

"Oh my God," Monica squeaked, her hands covered her trembling lips. "You're being serious aren't you?" she demanded, tears flooding her eyes. "How could you be so stupid, both of you? What were you thinking?" she cried, her hands raking through her hair, panic on her face. "Well, you can't have it, it's just ridiculous, you're still babies yourselves, eight weeks? You can get a termination, it'll just be like a…well, we'll just have to make this all go away, you can't have it, you're just…" she ranted quietly, talking more to herself than to Puck and Quinn.

"Ma," Puck shouted, breaking into his mom's rant. "Ma, Quinn doesn't want to have a termination and I can't say I like the idea either, but it's whatever Quinn wants, I'm behind her all the way, her choice whatever she wants to do, ok?" he asked, making sure both Quinn and his mom got it. "We're going to her house now, wait for her parents to come home, we have to speak to them too, I'll see you later Ma," he said, rising and walking round the table to drop a kiss on his mom's head. "And don't worry, ok? Everything will be fine," he reassured.

* * *

"Is she always like that?" Quinn asked from the safety of the truck as they were driving towards Dudley Road.

"Like what?" Puck asked.

"Like she's not quite up to speed with the rest of us," Quinn clarified. "Like her world is a little different from ours."

"That's the meds," Puck replied with a sigh. "Ever since my dad left she's taken pills to help her sleep, pills to help her wake up, pills for depression, pills for this, pills for that," he sighed even heavier, "it's a wonder she doesn't rattle when she runs downstairs in the mornings," he joked, it fell a little flat. "Yeah, she's always like that," he admitted quietly, it was why he took so much care of his little sister, he couldn't leave it all up to his mom.

* * *

"This is like freakin' torture," Puck whispered on his fifth wander round the living room, he was way too nervous to just sit and wait until Quinn's parents got home. "They ring their own doorbell?" he asked incredulously as the doorbell rang.

"Of course not," Quinn answered with a roll of her eyes then went to answer the door. "Finn," she said in surprise when she saw who stood on the step. "What-what are you doing here?" she asked nervously, her hand fluttered to her throat, she had to swallow several times, she was afraid she was about to hurl on Finn's grubby sneakers.

"I came to see why my girlfriend was seen sneaking out of school with my best friend, then didn't return all afternoon and still hasn't answered any of my calls or texts," Finn replied, his tone much friendlier than his suspicious gaze. Puck stepped out of the living room and into Finn's line of sight. "What are you doing here?" he asked Puck then immediately turned to Quinn, pointing over her shoulder. "What's he doing here?" he demanded. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?" he begged.

"Finn, you need to stay calm and listen to this very carefully," Puck said, walking towards the door, coming to stand behind Quinn. "Shouldn't he come inside? Do we really want to do this on the doorstep?" he asked her, his hand on Quinn's shoulder, looking in her eyes as she leaned back a touch towards him.

"Please come in," Quinn said to Finn, her manners returning. "Would you like anything to drink?" she asked.

"No, no thank you, I just want to know what the hell is going on," Finn repeated, taking a seat on one of the chairs that stood opposite the couch that Puck and Quinn sat on together, side by side, Puck's hand behind Quinn, seemingly giving her some sort of comfort.

"The thing is," Quinn began, her voice trembling nervously. "I saw you with her, with…Rachel," she forced herself to actually say 'manhands' name. "I saw you in the auditorium, strange place for a picnic, wouldn't you say?" she said, looking up to see Finn blush, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I saw what you were doing with her and I left, I was looking for you because I needed you but you needed her more and I found Puck, he took care of me, gave me what I needed," she said, looking down to her knees, embarrassed about her understatement. "And now things have changed," she added and looked back at Finn. "I'm pregnant," she said, her voice clear and steady. All three of them turned at the gasp from the doorway. "Mom, dad," Quinn cried faintly, "I didn't mean for you to find out this way," she apologised tearfully, saw them trying to process the only piece of the conversation they actually overheard.

"I'm sorry young man, I don't know your name, but this appears to be a matter we need to discuss in private, if you wouldn't mind?" Reverend Fabray said looking at Puck and indicating the door with his arm raised.

Puck stood up. "Mr Fabray, Mrs Fabray, my name is Noah Puckerman and this concerns me as much as it does your daughter," Puck told them, stepping towards them with his hand out. Judy Fabray took his hand out of sheer instilled good manners as did Russell Fabray, Finn looked on, still sat in the same position, his mouth open wide at the audacity of his best friend.

"What do you mean…I'm sorry, but does someone want to tell me what's going on?" Judy said, her voice rising a little. "Finn, do you know what's going on?" she asked and watched Finn slowly shake his head.

"Mom, dad, this is Puck. Finn, you need to leave, this doesn't concern you," Quinn said with a huge sigh, her face looking cross.

Finn got up at Quinn's urging and allowed her to escort him to the front door, he turned back to speak to her only to find the door shutting in his face. Finn turned away again and looked down the long drive, then back at the door then back down the drive. "What the hell happened here?" he asked himself. "Puck and Quinn? What happened?"

* * *

Russell Fabray took the seat that Finn had just vacated, Judy took the one next to him, Puck and Quinn sat opposite her parents and waited for the first question. "So who wants to start?" Russell asked, his voice deceptively calm.

"Sir, if I can just explain," Puck began, almost quaking under the stare of those piercingly cold eyes. "I have been in love with your daughter for a long time," he lied and heard Quinn's almost silent intake of breath. "Quinn also felt the same way about me but neither of us knew it," he said, compounding the lie, giving Quinn's fingers a gentle press, hoping she'd get the 'please go with this' signal. "A few weeks ago neither of us could bear to be apart a moment longer, we acted on impulse and the result is that Quinn is pregnant with my baby," he announced, his heart almost ready to explode from his chest.

"That bit I was already sure of," Russell muttered almost under his breath. "What were you thinking?" he demanded, his voice getting louder, his anger and disappointment rising with the volume. "What do you think is going to happen? What plans have you made? How are you going to….I don't know, I just can't think…did you know about this?" he demanded of his wife.

"N-no," Judy stuttered, uncertainty clouding her eyes. "She didn't tell me anything," she added, quite truthfully.

"But you knew," Quinn revealed, her accusing eyes landing on her mom's disappointed face. "You knew something wasn't right, knew I wasn't right," she whispered, her voice disappearing with the appearance of her tears. Puck tightened his grip of her hand.

"You need to leave here," Russell Fabray announced, looking over their heads at the portrayal of the Last Supper that hung on the wall, then glanced at Puck to make his meaning clear. "You too," he added, including Quinn in his sweeping banishment. "I want you out of here by six o'clock."

"But she didn't do anything wrong, you can't just kick her out," Puck cried, jumping up from his seat. "Don't you Christians like to preach forgiveness?" he demanded of the Reverend. "Is she going to get stoned at dawn?" he asked. "Marched through town with a sign round her neck saying 'unclean'?" he shouted. "You can't do this to her, it wasn't her fault, if you want to blame someone, blame me," he insisted.

"Oh I do, I do blame you, you and your heathen ways," Russell assured Puck, "but I blame you too," he informed Quinn, "I thought my daughter had more self-control than that, than a whore whose only thought is physical fulfilment. Get out, get out now, I don't ever want to see your face again," he hissed at his daughter.

Quinn ran from the room, Puck followed her as she ran up the stairs to grab some of her belongings. "What am I going to do? Where am I going to go?" she asked.

"Home with me," Puck replied, taking Quinn into his arms. "You're coming with me," he repeated.

Quinn had jumped at the sound of his voice, she hadn't realised that Puck had followed her to her room. She took a few calming breaths, allowed Puck to soothe her tense shoulders then took stock. "Right. Ok. I need clothes and some school stuff, that should take me over the weekend, we'll review things then," she said decisively, hoping against hope that her father would have calmed down by then.

* * *

"Who's this?" Gabriella, Puck's little sister asked when they walked into the house. "This your girlfriend Noah?"

Puck deposited Quinn's two large holdalls on the floor near the door. "Shut up Gab, where's mom?" he asked, dismissing his sister's questions.

"She's in her room, crying," Gabby replied, feeding herself a long lace of red licorice by dangling it above her mouth. "Did you upset her today or is it just one of those days?" she asked, glancing at her brother.

"No it was me," Puck sighed. "Just wait here, I'll go see her, ok," he told Quinn quietly, "and don't answer any of her questions," he advised, pointing at his sister, "she's just nosy then she'll get on skype and tell everyone online anything she's learned." Gabriella made a noise as though she was insulted by her brother's statement, she didn't deny it though, she couldn't because that's exactly what she would have done.

"So are you his girlfriend?" Gabby asked, hoping that she would break the sniffling blond before her brother came back. Quinn didn't answer, she looked away and sniffed away the fresh flood of tears. "You aren't going to give me anything, are you? Can I bribe you with a lace?" she asked, holding out a sticky red lace for Quinn.

Quinn managed the tiniest hint of a laugh. "No thank you," she replied, noticing how much like Puck this young girl looked, she could imagine her with a mohawk like her brother, she had his gentle, laughing eyes, his full lips, the nicely shaped eyebrows. That pleased Quinn for reasons she couldn't identify, she'd often wondered if Puck had his eyebrows waxed to look that good but it seemed it was natural.

"It's fixed, you're staying here, come on, I'll take your bags through to the guest room," Puck said breathlessly as he returned to the lounge. "Did she grill you?" he asked, nodding towards Gabby as he picked up the holdalls. "Did you break?" he added.

"No and no," Quinn answered with a little more of a laugh, at least she knew where she was going to sleep tonight and from the sound of things, Puck wasn't expecting to get anywhere with her, he'd said guest room. Quinn followed Puck along the hallway to a pleasant looking, bright bedroom towards the rear of the house.

"Here you are," Puck said as he dropped the bags on the double bed in the middle of the room. "It's not much, bed," he pointed at it, "closet," he indicated with a nod towards it, "bathroom," he pointed to a white door on the other side of the room. "I'll just go get some towels and stuff, we don't keep this room made up, we don't have visitors very often, except my Nana when she comes to see us a few times a year."

"Thank you, it's very nice, I'm sure I'll be fine here," Quinn replied, her words sounded as stilted, as wooden as her posture.

Puck nodded, unsure of what to say. He left Quinn for a few moments then came back with bedding and towels for her. "Do you need me to help you make the bed?" he asked, wondering if he should stay or go, he just didn't know what to do for the best.

"I'm fine, I can manage, thank you," Quinn replied, her words again perfunctory, without any emotion, wooden.

"Well, I'll go make a start on dinner," Puck said, his breathing still a little erratic, still nervous. "Is there anything in particular you'd like to eat or don't like to eat?" he asked. "We eat Kosher so there's no pork or ham, tonight it's enchiladas," he added quickly with a little shrug.

"I'm sure whatever you're having is fine," Quinn replied, feeling her throat close up at the thought of actually eating food, real food.

Puck left her to it and made his way to the kitchen, his mom was still a little out of it so she might not make it down to dinner, "that might not be too bad a thing though, give Quinn a chance to settle in first," he thought to himself. "Do you want to get that Gab?" he called, hoping his sister would answer the knock at the door. He heard her talking to someone a few seconds later.

"Noah, it's Finn for you," Gabby called, she'd obviously invited Finn in because she slammed the door shut with her usual finesse, the reverberation from the door rattling in it's frame, felt throughout the house.

"Nice one Gab," Puck murmured to himself just as Finn approached the kitchen doorway. "Want to take a seat?" he asked his friend warily, hoping to keep him in one place while he got on with cooking dinner.

"Why not," Finn answered, his tone sarcastically friendly. "So do you want to explain things a little more clearly to me?" he offered, giving Puck the opportunity to come clean. "Why you thought it was ok to make my girlfriend cheat on me?"

"Look, Finn, I know that it was a shitty thing to do to a friend but," Puck began and was then cut off by Quinn talking over him.

"I think it was more a case of tit for tat," Quinn said from the doorway. "Because as I remember it, you actually cheated on me first," she reminded Finn. "With Manhands, in the auditorium, at the picnic," she listed as though making her prediction in the game Clue. "Don't forget Finn, I saw you, I saw what you did and it was more than just a few kisses," she said before Finn could protest his innocence.

Puck looked between the two of them, he was beginning to feel a little used, a pawn between them.

"Did that mean you had to go running to Manwhore here?" Finn growled, pointing at Puck.

"Hey," Puck cried, insulted even more than usual by that name.

"Finn, you had your tongue down her throat and your hands up her skirt," Quinn claimed loudly, exasperated with him. "Was I supposed to think it was an accident? I thought you'd decided to get it from somewhere else because you damn sure were never going to get it from me," she insisted.

"Well, he did," Finn cried, rising in his seat a little, his temper rising a little more. "What? Is he so much better at kissing than I am? Did he manage to find whatever it takes to turn you on? Because I could never find it, that's for damn sure, if I didn't know any better I'd opt for it being an immaculate conception," he sneered.

"Yes he's a better kisser, he's better at everything, he knows exactly what to say, what to do to turn me on and it's great, I can't resist him, it's like being let loose in a chocolate factory after all the workers have gone home, it's irresistible, _he's _irresistible," Quinn shouted. Puck couldn't help the little smirk that snuck onto his lips or the way his eyebrow raised a little, he felt unstoppable.

"That's because he's a manwhore and he's fucked his way around Lima," Finn screeched. "He's probably had your mother at one time or another, hell, he's probably had my mother too" he claimed.

"Hey," Puck called again, feeling the slap of the insult as much as if Finn had actually slapped his face.

"Finn, you need to leave, this is getting us nowhere," Quinn stated, suddenly sagging, the energy leaving her.

"I'm going, but this isn't over," Finn hissed as he stood up, giving both Puck and Quinn a nasty look. "This definitely isn't over."

Puck waited till Finn slammed the door behind him. "Well, that went well," he said to Quinn, sarcasm rolling off his tongue.

"Now are you going to tell me what's going on?" Gabby asked from the doorway, her arms folded across her chest, her eyebrow an exact copy of her brother's.

Puck heaved a huge sigh. "Quinn is staying here for a while, she's pregnant, it's mine and she's just broke up with Finn," he explained, daring Gabby to say anything more, she didn't.

"Can I help you with dinner?" Quinn asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Nah, it's cool, it's done," Puck replied, opening the oven to take out the chicken enchiladas. "Salad's in the fridge, if you want to get that out," he added.

"Did you make this?" Quinn asked, sniffing appreciatively at the spicy loveliness that filled the air.

"He prepared most of it last night," Gabby revealed, "he always does, he's a great cook," she said, praising her brother.

"Yeah, and one day I'll be a world famous chef, right Gab?" Puck laughed, mocking himself.

"You do all the cooking?" Quinn asked, still incredulous. Puck shrugged, tucking in to his own meal.

Almost as soon as they'd finished eating, Monica appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Your dinner's here Ma," Puck said indicating the plate he'd made up for her.

"Thank you Noah," Monica responded. "Oh hello, are you a friend of Noah's?" she asked Quinn, noticing her for the first time.

"Ma, you met Quinn this afternoon, remember?" Puck sighed.

"Oh, oh, of course," Monica replied, her tone suggesting that actually, she didn't remember the meeting at all.

"Quinn Fabray, pregnant with my child, staying here with us since her parents kicked her out," Puck recapped for his mother's benefit.

"Yes, yes of course," Monica nodded, sounding much more sure, more with it. "And have you settled in alright?" she asked Quinn.

"Yes, thank you, Puck has made me feel very welcome, thank you," Quinn said quietly.

"I would prefer it if you'd call him Noah in the house, dear," Monica said as she ate her meal. "Everyone always called my ex husband 'Puck', it brings back bad memories," she explained.

"Of course, I'm sorry, I didn't know," Quinn stumbled, apologising. Monica nodded her acknowledgment, Puck rolled his eyes and pulled a face, Gabby sniggered, her hand over her mouth.

* * *

"So what is actually going on?" Santana demanded in the girls' locker room before Coach Sylvester descended on them.

"What do you mean?" Quinn stalled.

"You, taking off yesterday with Puck," Santana spit out, jealousy etched on her face. "And you came to school with him this morning. What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

"I have had a disagreement with my parents," Quinn explained, choosing her words with care, "and for the moment I am staying in the Puckerman's guest room," she said, making it totally clear that she was not _with_ Puck. Not yet at any rate.

"That doesn't actually explain anything," Santana growled. Even though she'd allowed Puck quite a few liberties in the past, she had never been allowed in to his home, he had never invited her in, despite her many hints and bribes.

"It's all you need to know," Quinn hissed as coach walked through the door.

* * *

"So," Puck sighed, dropping to the bench to pull on his cleats, "are we good?" he asked Finn without looking up.

"No," Finn replied, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Dude, you slept with my girlfriend and now she's living at your house and she has your ba…"

"Shut the fuck up," Puck hissed, cutting Finn's words off, glancing round the locker room to see if anyone had noticed, they all seemed oblivious. "I know and I'm sorry, but," he sighed, "I love her man, can you honestly say the same? Would you give up everything for her?" he asked. Finn could only shake his head sadly. "I would. Everything," he repeated.

**Week Thirteen - You are now in your second trimester. From 2.5 - 3 inches long and from .5-.7 ounces, that's how big your little one is now. Baby's face is now starting to look like, well, a baby. The eyes move closer together, and the ears move to the normal places. Baby's head which is currently about half the length of the crown to rump measurement, begins to slow down. By the time baby is born, his head will be about 1/4 of the total length. This week, baby's intestines, which have been developing outside the body in the umbilical cord, will be drawn into the abdominal cavity.**

"Guys, we need more guys," Mr Schue announced unhappily. "We can't compete if we don't have at least twelve performers and we are sadly lacking," he looked around at the despondent teens in the choir room. "Could you ask your friends, girlfriends, boyfriends," he suggested.

Finn glared at Mr Schue for a second. "Yeah, right, rub the girlfriend bit in, why don't you?" he thought. "Quinn can sing a bit, Puck can too and he's got some moves, he did that Acafella stuff with us, and he freakin' owes me, they both do," he realised, suddenly seeing a solution to New Directions' problems. "Mr Schue, can I be excused for a minute?" Finn asked, his hand slowly rising in the air. Mr Schue nodded, Finn left the room almost running.

* * *

"Forget it," Puck cried. "No way, I am not getting on a stage with that bunch of losers," he scoffed.

"Then the stork story is about to go viral," Finn threatened, knowing that Puck would understand his threat, know what he meant.

"You can't do that to her," Puck cried, shocked that Finn could be so cruel. "She's already lost so much, she's devastated, this would just about kill her, is that what you want? Blood?" he demanded.

"No, I just want a fair chance for me and a group of people who are _true_ friends, friends who wouldn't even think of stabbing me in the back, unlike some people," Finn replied, giving Puck a searching look.

Puck stared back for endless seconds, weighing up Finn's words. "Fine, I'll see if Quinn will come too, but I can't promise," he growled, scowling.

"Try to get Mike and Matt, they're always dancing around and see if Brit and Santana will join Quinn, you usually can't separate them with a piece of paper," Finn muttered.

* * *

"Look, if we don't do this, he's going to spill to the whole school and I just don't think we're ready for that. I know I'm not, are you?" Puck explained.

"Fine, if it keeps him from spilling his guts, but once this is out in the open, that's it, I'm done," Quinn sighed crossly, folding her arms across her chest, her foot tapping in her immaculate, regulation white sneaker.

"Yep, me too," Puck agreed, pulling Quinn close for a quick hug after checking that no one was around. "See you in the parking lot," he mumbled against her high pony.

* * *

"Why should we?" Santana sneered. "I have my reputation to think about," she reminded Quinn. "And I still don't get why you haven't moved out of Puck's house yet, why aren't you staying at Finn's if you've had an argument with your parents?" she demanded, curiosity eating away at her as it had for weeks and weeks.

"Because Finn doesn't have a guest room," Quinn replied, her words absolutely the truth but also such a lie. "And you'll be doing me a favour with Finn," she added, hoping that it would be the sweetener for Santana, if she thought that Quinn was still with Finn and that Puck was free, she might…"and Puck's joined too, with Mike and Matt, they're all giving it a go, being good friends to Finn, supporting him, don't you think that we, as cheerleaders, should support the quarter back in his extra curricular endeavours?" she asked innocently.

"Fine, but if we suck, I'm out," Santana growled, knowing that Quinn would know that she'd only caved so easily to get closer to Puckerman. He was friendly enough when he was horny, he just hadn't seemed to be horny for the past couple of months, he'd even ignored her sexts!

* * *

"Welcome, welcome," Mr Schue called as the class doubled in size. "Thank you all for coming, I hope you're going to enjoy this and believe me, we have a lot of fun in here," he said, making the experience sound so far away from anything fun that Puck wanted to run the other way, screaming. The scowl from Finn stopped him.

* * *

"That was the freakiest, lamest thing I have ever had to live through," Puck grumbled as he drove himself and Quinn home. "I'm not sure now if it wouldn't just be better for Finn to spill his guts, then we'd be free and we wouldn't have to sing and dance like freaky freak things," he added with a scowl.

"I hate to admit, but I kind of enjoyed it," Quinn admitted with a worried look on her face.

"That has got to be because of the hormones, babe, that cannot be the usually awesome you," Puck insisted, shaking his head a little disgusted at her.

"That reminds me, I have a doctor's appointment on Monday," Quinn sighed, "will you go with me?" she asked.

"Of course," Puck replied, his hand leaving the steering wheel to take hers from the bench seat. "I told you, we're in this together, even the yacky stuff," he reminded her. Didn't he come running every morning and hold her hair back while she puked her socks up? Didn't he make her dry, crunchy toast to settle her stomach? Didn't he make her that absolutely vile smelling green tea shit that she insisted would help her to stop throwing up? Yeah, right, in his opinion it was the cure that was causing the problem. Oh yeah, except for the small matter of his baby hiding away in her belly.

"What's for dinner tonight?" Quinn asked, smiling at Puck, feeling very warm towards him suddenly. She looked away, hoping that he hadn't noticed the sudden flush to her cheeks, her physical reaction to his thumb stroking over the back of her hand, how just that tiny little touch was making her have difficulty in breathing properly, making her nipples stick out like diamonds, making her squirm in her suddenly damp panties.

Puck kept facing forward, he caught a glimpse of Quinn's confusion and realisation out of the corner of his eye. "Yes," he crowed silently. "Those baby books were right. Woohoo Puckerman, this is going to be your lucky night," he cried inside his head, struggling to keep the smirk in, keep the laughter from bubbling up. Whatever dinner was tonight, it was going to be special, he was going to go all out. "Quinn Fabray, you just better hold on to your panties because Noah Puckerman is coming for them," he told himself, hearing Marlon Brando's voice in his head, speaking for him.

* * *

"You like fish, don't you?" Puck asked as he studied the contents of the fridge and the freezer.

"I like some fish," Quinn agreed, leaning against the counter, watching Puck get to work on dinner. He really did love cooking, for him it was a pleasure, a joy, an art form. And everything he made tasted damn good.

"Do you like salmon?" Puck asked, an idea forming as he thought about other ingredients, feeling them in his very essence.

"Yes, salmon is nice," Quinn replied, watching as Puck became more and more animated. "What are you going to make.

"Tonight, Ms Fabray," Puck announced in a really crappy French accent, "I am going to make for you, my world famous, most fabulous, lime and honey glazed salmon with basmati and broccolini, do you think you're ready for that?" he asked, suddenly whirling round and grabbing Quinn to his chest. Puck danced around the table with Quinn, she could barely stand for laughing, almost screaming, tears running down her face, Gabby came to the doorway to see what was going on, Monica did too, smiling at her son, at his happy face.

As Puck sat down with his meal, everyone tucked in and sighed with contentment. "Mmmm, that tastes divine," Quinn sighed, "it just melts in your mouth. Who taught you to cook?" she asked.

"My Nana Connie, before she died, she was always cooking, right Ma?" Puck replied, fond memories of his nana filling his mind.

"Well, she did an amazing job," Quinn complimented. "Everything you've made since I've arrived here has been absolutely delicious, I can't believe you've kept this a secret."

"You should taste his cupcakes," Gabby told Quinn. "A-maze-ing," she groaned, folding herself up as though she was melting.

"I think I'd like to taste your cupcakes," Quinn told Puck shyly, leaning towards him a little, her eyebrow ever so slightly raised, the merest hint of a flirty smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"I'd love you to taste my cupcakes," Puck murmured, leaning toward Quinn a little, he wasn't entirely sure they were on the same page but the 'cupcakes' he was thinking of weren't ever going near a mixer or an oven. Puck shifted in his seat slightly, saw that Quinn had to do the same. He hoped his mom would down her meds early tonight so he could sneak to the guest room so that Quinn could reacquaint herself with his wares.

* * *

"What are you doing in here," Quinn murmured happily as Puck climbed onto the bed beside her then stretched out over her. "Mmmm," she moaned as his tongue breached the seam of her lips. Quinn's arms stole around Puck's neck as he slid to the side, turning her so she faced him.

"I thought you wanted to get to know my cupcakes," Puck whispered against her lips, rocking against her slightly, giving Quinn chance to back away, she didn't. Puck threaded a hand through her hair, he brought their faces close together. "I really, really want to be with you tonight," he whispered, his eyes locked with Quinn's, "but I understand if you don't want to," he added.

"I do, I really do," Quinn sighed and closed the gap between them even more. Puck was really happy. He had an excellent night, a night to remember. He stayed with Quinn even after she fell asleep in his arms, their bodies replete yet still aching for more. Eventually Puck slept.

**Week Seventeen - This week, your baby is starting to develop fat layers. Did you know that by the time your baby is born, fat layers will be about 3/4 of his total weight? Speaking of weight, your little one now weighs on the average 3.5 ounces and is almost 5 inches long.**

"Quinn, a word," Coach Sylvester called down the hallway, causing every student to stop and stare and be thankful that their name wasn't 'Quinn'.

"Yes Coach?" Quinn asked breathlessly as they met in the middle.

"Take those glasses off, I want to see your eyes when I impart this little nugget," Coach sneered. Quinn slowly removed the sunglasses she'd been hiding behind all day and looked into Sue Sylvester's cruel eyes. "You are off the team, I can't have my head cheerleader growing an extra person before my very eyes," she announced. "Oh, and by the way, your little piece of news, it'll be common knowledge before lunchtime, it's already hitting the school newspaper, I can't stop it," she said, without a hint of regret or remorse in her tone.

Quinn didn't know where to turn, where to go, where to look, she glanced about her then fled, her high pony swishing as she ran.

* * *

"Where did she go?" Puck demanded, shouting at Santana. "You're her best friend, you must know where she is," he cried, losing his temper a little.

"What's it got to do with you?" Santana sneered. "Frankenteen isn't flipping a shit and she's _his_ girlfriend. So Quinn's missing, so what?" she shouted, her headed moving side to side like a total diva, her hands on her hips.

"She's not my girlfriend," Finn quickly denied before Rachel could add anything. "Can't you think of anywhere she'd go?" he asked Puck.

"The bleachers, maybe, she loves hiding out there," Puck muttered, amazing everyone with his knowledge of Quinn and her likes. "But it's raining, she hates being out in the rain, it makes her hair go frizzy," he added. And his knowledge of her dislikes. "I'm going to go look," he sighed, leaving the choir room.

All eyes turned to Finn, questioning gazes hit him from every side. "It's not my place to tell you…" he started to say, holding his hands up as if to ward them off.

"Oh. My. God," Mercedes Jones breathed. "Did you know about this?" she asked, showing her iPhone around the room. "This has to be why she's upset. But if that's the truth, why aren't you upset?" she demanded of Finn.

"Because I'm not the father, Puck is," Finn sighed, realising they could probably all figure it out now that they had some of the information, they weren't all _that _stupid, were they?

* * *

"Hey," Puck said quietly as he approached Quinn, sitting all alone, in the rain, right at the top of the bleachers. "I didn't really figure you'd be here, I know you hate getting your hair wet, makes it go frizzy," he rambled, wondering why he couldn't seem to stop his mouth from moving.

Quinn glanced up, her tear filled eyes looked even more beautiful than they normally did, they did things to his insides that he didn't think possible, made him want to believe in the impossible, believe in love. "You found me," Quinn managed to say, her voice all croaky.

"What made you come and hide out here?" Puck asked, sitting down beside her, taking her cold hand in his warm one, nudging her with his broad shoulder.

"Coach Sylvester knows," Quinn said, her voice catching with a sob. "She kicked me off the team and she's posted it on the school newspaper website, everyone will know by the end of the day, everyone, what are we going to do?" she asked, her head whipping round to look at Puck, see what he could do to save her, save her reputation.

"Well, if she's done that we can either deny it," Puck said after a moment, giving it a little thought, "but that's not going to work for very long, is it?" he added, nodding towards her slightly rounded tummy. "Or we can go in there with our heads up and say yes, this has happened but we're not ashamed, not of us or our baby, it's up to you, but I vote for the last one," he said, nudging her again.

Quinn's head dropped to Puck's shoulder, she felt him swap hands with hers, still holding her hand but allowing him to put his arm around her shoulder too. She sighed heavily then looked up, her head back to see into Puck's smiling eyes. "Ok, let's do it," she agreed. "It's not going away and finally I'll be able to wear clothes that will let me breathe," she said with relief.

Puck stood and offered Quinn his hand to help her up. "Careful, it's slippery now," he warned as they walked together down to the track surrounding the football field. "Do you think they'd notice if we used the locker rooms to get dried off?" he asked once they reached terra firma.

"I've got a change of clothes in my locker, real clothes," Quinn admitted, "what about you? Have you got something dry you can put on?" she asked. Puck nodded. He left her at the door of the girl's locker room with a tiny kiss on her cheek then turned away to go to the boys locker room, get himself dried off and changed.

* * *

"To the choir room?" Puck asked when Quinn emerged from the locker room in dark skinny jeans and a yellow top with lots of floaty tiers that hid her baby bump perfectly.

"Yep," Quinn nodded and held out her hand for Puck to take, she felt empowered, she felt free, she felt amazing, actually.

* * *

"You're here," Finn announced when he saw both Puck and Quinn appear in the doorway of the choir room. Everyone had to take a second look at Quinn, she looked so strange out of her Cheerios uniform, she looked cute, no one could deny that, she suited the jeans and the ballet flats and the yellow top was a gorgeous colour on her, they just weren't used to seeing her dressed so differently. "We have something to sing for you, for both of you, here, take a seat," he instructed, leading them to the chairs placed at the front of the room, facing the class. Artie, the kid in the wheelchair began first, his voice was actually really good, really deep and full of soul.

"Sometimes in our lives  
We all have pain  
We all have sorrow  
But if we are wise  
We know that there's always tomorrow"

Mercedes took over for the next part of the song, her clear voice was stunning, the other team members all joined in, harmonising, the song sounded amazing.

"Lean on me!  
When you're not strong  
And I'll be your friend  
I'll help you carry on  
For it won't be long  
'Till I'm gonna need  
Somebody to lean on"

Everyone joined in with the next verse.

"So just call (call) on me brother (hey)  
When you need a hand (When you need a hand)  
We all need (need) somebody to lean on!  
(I just might have a problem)  
I just might have a problem that you'll understand  
We all need somebody to lean on!

Lean on me (hey)  
When you're not strong (When you're not strong)  
I'll be your friend (I'll be your friend)  
I'll help you carry on (help you carry on)  
For it wont be long (o it wont be long)  
'Till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

(Just lean on me) you just call on me brother (hey)  
When you need a hand (when you need a hand)  
We all need (need) somebody to lean on! (somebody to lean on)  
(I just might) I just might have a problem that you'll understand  
We all need somebody to lean on!  
Lean on me"

Again Artie took the lead.

"If (If)  
There is a load! (there is a load)  
You have to bear (you have to bear)  
That you can't carry  
I'm (I'm right) right up the road  
I'll share your load  
If you just call me

Call me (I'm calling)  
Call me (when you need a friend)  
Call me (call me)  
Call me (call me) (when you need a friend)  
Call me (when you need a friend)  
Call me (if you need a friend)  
Call me (any time of day  
Call me"

Mercedes pulled both Puck and Quinn out of their seats to sing and dance with their friends, with the people who weren't going to judge them, with the people who would give their unwavering support, even Finn. Finn hugged them both, his way of showing forgiveness, his way of showing he could rise above it all.

"It won't be long till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on, lean on, lean on  
Lean on lean on lean on me when you need a friend  
Lean on lean on lean on me lean on me  
Lean on lean on lean on me  
I'm gonna need (somebody) somebody to lean on  
I'm gonna need somebody to lean on (somebody to lean on)  
Yeah "

The whole group laughed and cheered as the song came to an end, they didn't notice the shadow outside the door or hear the almost feral growl of temper from Coach Sylvester, she'd have to think of another way to take down the damn Glee Club…


End file.
